NYPD Made Millions off Ticketing Legally Parked Cars

Unbeknownst to many New York drivers, it is legal to park in front of sidewalk pedestrian ramps that are not connected to crosswalks. A recent study by Pratt Institute Professor Ben Wellington revealed that the New York City Police Department has continued to ticket cars parked in these legal spots and has made millions doing so.

The Department of Transportation adopted the law in 2008 to free up extra spots for New York drivers struggling to find parking in the congested city. Wellington discovered the law after receiving and successfully fighting a ticket for parking his car in front of a pedestrian ramp leading to nowhere in the middle of a block in Brooklyn.

Wellington investigated the phenomenon, using New York City’s public records to find ticketing statistics as well as Google Maps to locate the most frequently ticketed spots. He found that almost 2,000 legal parking spots are regularly ticketed by police officers and that NYC generates around $1.7 million in revenue every year from these tickets.

NYPD has responded positively to the investigation, thanking Wellington for alerting them to the problem and promising better training for officers to prevent this from happening in the future. Although New Yorkers who wrongly receive parking tickets in legal spots may successfully fight their tickets, this is, in the words of Wellington, “a waste of everybody’s time.”

People who are ticketed for parking or traffic violations can avoid the hassle of having to appear in court by hiring an attorney to appear on their behalf. Driving related offenses are often punished severely and it is advisable to retain an attorney to fight any potential fines, points, and marks on a driving record.

If you have been ticketed for a traffic violation, call 1-888-203-2619 or email the the Rosenblum Law Firm for a free consultation about your case. Adam H. Rosenblum is an experienced traffic attorney who will advocate for your rights and fight to have your ticket dismissed.

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